About 300 wounded warriors will take part in the 2019 Department of Defense Warrior Games in Tampa starting next week, but few will have taken as long a road to get there as 1st Sgt. Jarrid "Jay" Collins.
Collins started out April 28 from Los Angeles, running, bicycling and using a hand cycle to cover the 3,000 miles to get to the games.
During "The Breaking Bread Tour," he is raising awareness of Operation BBQ Relief's efforts to serve first responders, members of the military and to fight hunger.
Collins joined the Army in 1996. He served during Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
He had his left leg amputated below the knee in 2014.
“I met the folks from Operation BBQ Relief, I was astounded by how much they’ve accomplished over the last several years," Collins told KENS in San Antonio, Texas. "Since 2011, they’ve served 3 million hot meals to those displaced by hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires. Last year, just under 1.3 million meals. I knew that this was something I had to be a part of."
Collins is due to arrive in Tampa on Sunday.
What other people are reading right now:
- Valedictorian calls out teacher, counselor in her graduation speech
- 10-hour wait times reported for new Hagrid roller coaster at Universal Orlando
- Police: Man broke into home to snatch little girl but grandpa wasn’t going to let that happen
- 10-hour wait times reported for new Hagrid roller coaster at Universal Orlando
- Alligator and donkey face off in Florida
►Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
